- Date
- July 16, 2011, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Spokane, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3440Stearman C3-B
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 6, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION
- FAA report
- 20110716013929A
- Case key
- 81151
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control on landing. Contributing to the accident was the touch down in a slide-slip.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was involved in a biplane fly-in that was going on at the time of the accident. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, witnesses observed the airplane in a left side-slip during landing. The airplane subsequently touched down in the side-slip on the left wheel. The pilot applied full right rudder to compensate, then right brake to straighten out the airplane; however, the left landing gear strut collapsed, and the airplane entered into a slow speed ground loop, substantially damaging the lower wing. The pilot stated there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal flight.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was involved in a bi-wing fly-in that was going on at the time of the accident. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, witnesses observed the pilot enter into a side-slip to the left during landing and the airplane touched down in the side-slip on the left wheel. The pilot stated that the airplane was turning left after touchdown and he applied full right rudder to compensate, then right brake to straighten the airplane out. The airplane subsequently changed direction, the left landing gear strut collapsed, and the airplane entered into a slow speed ground loop. There was substantial damage to the lower wing, damage to the propeller, and the landing gear. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3440
- Reported as
- Stearman C3-B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 104
- Airframe hours
- 1,188
- Engine
- Continental W 670-6N, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Tobin Larry F
- Registered owner
- Tobin Larry F
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 26, 2011 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- SFF · Spokane, WA
- Destination
- SFF · Spokane, WA
- Airport
- SFF · Felts Field, runway 21L, 3,059 × 50 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 27, 2011
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 24,341 total · 118 in this make and model · 24,341 as pilot in command · 31 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 126° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.77 inHg
- Observed at
- KSFF
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 17, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N3440 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.